Bosch12V Max Planer (Bare Tool) GHO12V-08N

I like best the compact design and excellent planing quality. But this Bosch planer excels in multiple ways. The dust collector fitting will attach to either side. The handle is comfortable. The standard planing blade is carbide for long life and has two edges so that it can be reversed for even longer life. That's not all. A second two-edged carbide blade is included and stored in the base of the tool, very neatly. The owner's manual recommends at least a 2.5 amp 12 volt battery, which I am now using. I've also ordered a four amp, and the recently released 6 amp, battery should I desire longer battery life. The slightly front heavy planer design should make very comfortable use of the heavier batteries, which insert in the aft end of the handle. A blade changing Allen wrench is included and becomes accessible when the battery is removed. A very neat appearing dust collection bag is easily installed and can be swiveled in multiple directions. It is, sadly, very ineffective. I have ordered the correct Bosch hose to allow connection to a shop vacuum. The instructions advise how to avoid end-of-planing snipe by clamping on an auxiliary work piece. I find that pressing down on the aft planer end near the end of the planing operation works effectively to avoid sniping on the wood I plane. Your experience may vary. Overall, this is one of the most satisfying of my Bosch tool purchases. The planing ability is a welcome surprise and it does this with only 12 volts, a single blade, and the modest speed of 14,500 RPM.

This is my first power planer and I've only had it for about a week. I have not completed any projects with it yet but did take it on a few test runs. So far, it's a joy to use. I am a pretty inexperienced woodworker so for me to be able to familiarize myself with a machine such as this in so short a time says a lot about it. It does create a lot of saw dust/ debris, even with the bag attached. The adjustment knob doesn't have measurement markings so you kind of have to eyeball the depth. I also love how it's 100% ambidextrous. I'm a lefty and I have many tools that are geared for southpaws. A great tool with tons of applications.

This tool has proven surprisingly handy. I own both a corded power planer and a number of hand planes, but neither figured prominently into my daily workflow, and yet this tool does. Another reviewer made an analogy to a Fein-type oscillating multitool, and the comparison is quite apt: before you have it, you say, what will I use that for? And once you do, you ask, how did I get by without that? It isn't so much that it fits into your workflow as that it changes your workflow. A planer that is fast, precise, fits in a fastener pouch and can be safely operated on a ladder with one hand turns out to be a tremendous productivity enhancer for trim carpentry.The tool itself is very solidly built. The design is well-thought-out, with clever features like an easily reversible chip deflector and a blade change built into the handle. The dust collection adapter is included, which is a welcome departure from other Bosch tools I have bought. The overmolding is well-secured and minimal, enough for grip but no extra stuff for decoration. The controls are reasonably ergonomic, and the feel of the tool in the hand is great. The "kickstand" is dumb, it gets in the way and serves no real function– there is an electronic brake so there's really no way to set it down while it is spinning. I have mine disabled with tape.Performance is very, very good given the size. It's ability to work smoothly and consistently has impressed me. Needless to say this is not a big planer. If you are hoping to make a slab into a table with this you are going to be disappointed. But it still punches far above its weight. I have done a bunch of work in 5/4" Lifespan with this and had no issues, and even used it a few times on conventional PT 2x with good results.I am using mine with a 2ah battery. Life is reasonable, I tend to charge it at the end of each day and am fine unless I am doing baseboards and using the tool a lot. The tool seems to slow down as the battery gets low. This is bizarre as it is supposedly a regulated system, but of no real consequence. A battery gauge on the tool tells you how much life is left, albeit vaguely (to the nearest third). It's a little front-heavy but very light with the 2ah battery. Coming from a Makita 18v platform, I am struck but how generally weak the Bosch 12v charger is; it is slow, finicky about how the battery is seated, prone to getting wadded up with sawdust and gives no indication of charge progress. But it works, and both the charger and the battery are small, light, and reasonably inexpensive.I bought into the Bosch 12v system just for this tool, and I am glad I did. It is unique and surprisingly useful, and it's so cool to see a big toolmaker putting R&D effort into carpentry specialty tools. For how handy it is and how well-made it seems, the price strikes me as pretty fair. I would estimate that it saves me an hour or two a week every week. If you do a lot of trim work, I highly recommend it.

Order for when we need to plane down something like a door edge. Works great. did order a larger battery as well as the small standard battery does not last very long. Not sure I like the little kick stand as it seemed to not flip down like it was supposed to all the time. Also made it more difficult to do a pass that does not start at edge of piece. Light and easy to use though.

the last two times I needed a power planer I used this one instead of my Bosch or Dewalt corded. It's not perfect if i was using a planer every day i would still want to have them both, but for like a little bulge on a door frame or some paint that didn't quite come off with the sander and made a high spot, yeah this little guy is fine.I still use hand planes in the shop so im a bit old fashioned. For its size & weight though this is fine to do imprecise spot planes here and there. Haven't tried the edge guide i got a pretty good eye and an even better square so i will probably just do it the old fashioned way. most power planers the edge guide is just ok anyway.

We recently purchased some rental property and had many things to fix to get the property ready for rentals. There were two screen doors that would not close for they hit the jambs. I saw a video on youtube showing this tool and had to get it! It is so simple to use and does such an efficient job I had my screen doors closing in a jiffy! I also had to repair a few exterior door sills which had rotted and had to be replaced and I used this tool to make those doors close as well. I am sure Inwill find more uses for it as I go.